Montreal and the surrounding area are home to some great places where you can spend the day checking out plants and animals that are a little more exotic than that which you would find in the standard Quebec wilderness or local park. Here are some spots where you are guaranteed to encounter more than just a chipmunk or ground hog.
Granby Zoo
Granby Zoo is the largest zoo in the province. Located about 40 minutes to the east of Montreal in the town of Granby, the zoo is open during the summer months and has hundreds of animals from all over the world waiting to be discovered. Anything from lions to elephants to a series of rides for kids will leave the entire family entertained. For 2008, the new African Trails exhibit allows you to walk amongst recreations of the various habitats found on the African continent.
Biodome
A little bit closer to home is the Biodome, right across from the Olympic Stadium. The Biodome is a facility that re-creates four specific ecosystems, complete with plants and wildlife: the North American forest, a tropical forest, the sea life that is found in the neighboring St. Lawrence and a snow-filled polar exhibit complete with penguins. The Biodome also hosts an annual butterfly exhibit where people are free to walk through a large habitat where butterflies of many different types float through the air around them.
Angrignon Farm
The last stop on the metro’s green line is also the first stop for many when it comes to spending an enjoyable summer’s day in a beautiful green space. The farm in the park lets kids encounter livestock that they certainly won’t find on the city’s busy streets. The farm is currently closed until 2010 while it undergoes major renovations.
Cap-Saint-Jacques
In addition to being a popular location for those who want to get away from the city and do some hiking or boating, Cap-Saint-Jacques also offers a farm which raises many different types of animals that are friendly and accessible to families. The park is the largest on the island of Montreal, and it offers spectacular bird watching as well as a good-sized population of turtles in its bays.
Ecomuseum
Found at the western tip of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, and open year round, the Ecomuseum is an 11 hectare site that plays host to 90 different species of animals. The facility is divided up into different habitat zones, as well as animal-specific exhibits. The Ecomuseum is a great place to learn about the wildlife that can be found in the natural habitat of Quebec. Many of the large mammals that we share our province with such as deer, wolves, caribou and wildcats can be seen at the Ecomuseum.
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